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KU vs. Kansas State

Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews

KU coach Bill Self

Kansas coach Bill Self talks to reporters following the Jayhawks' 84-68 loss to Kansas State on Feb. 14, 2011.

Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews

KU players Tyrel Reed and Mario Little

Kansas players Tyrel Reed and Mario Little talk to reporters following the Jayhawks' 84-68 loss to Kansas State on Feb. 14, 2011.

Manhattan  The new No. 1 team in the country didn’t play like the best squad in the land on Monday night in Bramlage Coliseum.

“The No. 1 ranking? After watching that? Geez ... we may fall out of the polls next week,” Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self said after the Jayhawks’ 84-68 loss to unrated Kansas State.

The game came on the same day KU ascended to No. 1 in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls.

“That wasn’t a very good team playing tonight,” Self added after KU’s worst loss to K-State since a 17-pointer (70-53) on Jan. 23, 1982, in Manhattan. The loss was also the Jayhawks’ largest margin of defeat overall since a 19-pointer at Texas Tech on March 4, 2009 (84-65).

“Let’s call it like it is: That was a beatdown,” Self added. “I thought they controlled the game from the opening tip. We were on our heels.”

Self was able to keep his sense of humor after his Jayhawks (24-2 overall, 9-2 Big 12) were burned by KSU’s Jacob Pullen to the tune of a career-high 38 points.

The senior guard hit nine of 17 shots, including five of six threes. He made 15 of 19 free throws en route to the 12th-best single-game scoring output against KU. It was the most points against KU since Michael Beasley of KSU scored 39 versus the Jayhawks on March 1, 2008, in Lawrence.

“You look at it from a positive standpoint, we held them to 46 points if Jacob didn’t play. That’s a good thing,” Self cracked.

Pullen’s 38 points were, in fact, the most points against a top-ranked team since Houston’s Elvin Hayes potted 39 for Houston versus UCLA in 1968. North Carolina’s Antawn Jamison had 35 versus Duke in 1997-98.

“Our play against him was poor,” Self said, adding, “He was fabulous. I don’t know that kid very well. He’s got 38 points on national TV against a team that doesn’t deserve it, but is ranked No. 1 in the country, against their arch-rivals and he defers to not shoot the ball to get 40 ... (that’s) class.”

Self, in fact, stopped Pullen in a Bramlage Coliseum hallway to tell Pullen how impressed he was with his sportsmanship.

“We defended him poorly, but he was fabulous,” Self repeated.

The Jayhawks fell behind 18-10 and 30-16, as well as 42-33 at the half, but trailed by just five points (46-41) with 16:25 left, yet a 19-6 KSU run took care of that.

The performance of the Wildcats (17-9, 5-6) made some wonder if this was all about KU feeling the pressure of being No. 1. It was the first time KU immediately lost on the same day as being tapped No. 1 since 1994 in Lawrence when KSU beat the Jayhawks, 68-64.

“I don’t think where we were ranked had anything to do with how we played,” Self said. “Pullen had a lot more to do with how we played than any ranking.

Noted KU’s Tyrel Reed (14 points): “Obviously we were No. 1 and didn’t protect it well. We were not trying to protect it. Give credit to K-State. We couldn’t match them tonight. We had some opportunities the second half. We cut it to five and didn’t do anything with it. We turned it over or took a bad shot. That was our M.O.”

KU also had a pair of unfortunate plays. Markieff Morris was called for an intentional foul in the first half, apparently swinging an elbow, and Elijah Johnson was called for a technical foul for yapping after dunking with the Jayhawks down, 71-57.

“I mean, definitely those things have to be addressed,” Reed said. “We have to be a more mature team than that.”

KU juniors Marcus Morris had 13 points and four turnovers, Markieff Morris three points and no boards and Tyshawn Taylor eight points and six turnovers.

“Our three junior starters all had rough nights, without question,” Self said.

“I will not put a positive spin on this. We played our in-state rival in their building in a great atmosphere, and we didn’t respond,” Self added. “I heard Frank (Martin, KSU coach) say that when he’s come to Allen. I probably feel the same way Frank did leaving Allen (after KU’s 90-66 win on Jan. 29) as I do Bramlage tonight. They were without question the better team from the opening tip.”

Josh Selby (stress reaction in foot) had four points in 11 minutes. He was playing for the first time in four games.

“I wasn’t going to even play Josh,” Self said. “We had nobody else we could go to. He only practiced one day. Hopefully he can get back in the flow and be a contributor in a big way.”

Comments

If the 'Cats were 22-3 and playing like they were expected to this season then that would be one thing, but the fact of the matter is that they're a huge disappointment with some internal issues on the squad that need resolution.

So instead I'll tip my hat to the 'Hawks and hope that some day games like this have real meaning again.

I thought Bobby Knight had it right. The K-State team should feel badly shortly after this game because they should see how they could played all year and have not done it. It shows that they are under achieving. I, for one, have absolutely no negative feelings toward K-State and root for them against all other opponents. They are part of Kansas. Too bad we didn't both show up to play our best in the two games we played against each other. There would have been a couple pretty good games.

Give your smack, we deserve it. Too much talking and not enough playing by the Hawks. Tyshawn looked like a 5 year old dribbling down the court; Keiff throwing an elbow, and Johnson shooting off his mouth down by 14 are not signs of a team in control of themselves.

Might I remind you of a very special day for Hawks during football season. I believe this team wasn't even ranked in the top ten... Sure it's a different sport, but come on... It's part of being a fan with a great victory!

one of my ksu friends bagged on us earlier this year when we beat Ga. Tech and our "fans" rushed the field. He said it was lame. My argument was that instead of rushing the field because the Jayhawks had won, the students were rushing the field to celebrate with our players and that they were proud of them for showing the country (viewing audience) what the Jayhawks were made of. I think that was probably alot of why the k-staters rushed the court last night. Some of it was probably that they had beaten the Jayhawks too, but they (fans) deserved to be proud of their team and what they accomplished last night. Let them have their moment...

Pullen didn't even need to play a good game today for KU to lose. We looked so flat after looking so good ever since the Texas loss. Too many turnovers (I was bagging on Taylor at the start of the game for playing so sloppy, but turns out he wasn't alone), and I was not comforted by our three-pt shooting percentage either. We make some of those threes and we're in the game. We have to be able to win games w/o relying on the permiter shot. KU wins every game when they relentlessly attack the basket.

Pullen's comment earlier in the year about the NIT probably didn't come out the way he intended. Watching him play, he doesn't seem like a prima donna or sore loser, even in the loss to us. I'm not a KSU fan. Not in the slightest (except come tourney time or bowl season). But hats off to him for schooling us.

Perhaps it's just me, but has anyone else noticed Taylor's body language? He seems never to show leadership or even tenacity. His passes are lazy, his defense is akin to a matador.
After a bad play by him or KU his shoulders slump and his head tilts in a "gah, really?" gesture instead of playing the next play. He has done this after a good play by the opposition, too. This is contagious and can affect teammates. I hope he quits doing it, and uses his skills more.

From Gary Bedore: "It was the first time KU immediately lost on the same day as being tapped No. 1 since 1994 in Lawrence when KSU beat the Jayhawks, 68-64."

Actually, this has now been the third time KU immediately lost on the same day as being tapped No.1... The first one in 1994 as you stated, the second one followed the very next year in 1995 when OU beat the Jayhawks in Norman 76-73, and of course this game... The Valentine's Day Massacre of the Jayhawks as the LJWorld noted...

I think a correction to your article in the sports section would be appropriate.

I'm still a little curious what EJ said to get the technical last night after the nice dunkaroo on their tall guy...I'm hoping it was something like "lick my balls since they are in your face!!" I mean, if you're going to get teed up for it, might as well make it worth the two points, right?

I wish Bobby Knight would not try and tell everyone what the Morri and Josh Selby are thinking. The comment about Josh's (supposed) "sour face" meant that Josh was unhappy about his playing time was pure speculation. Ummmm Bobby, maybe Josh's fricking foot was hurting....maybe he hates losing, maybe Bobby should have another drink and shut his pie hole...

Bobby can be very frustrating to listen to. One minute he's offering very insightful observations that only a master of his former profession could, and the next he's spewing some of the most insane drivel this side of the Marais de Cygne.

I agree. Sometimes I enjoy listening to him, but last night, he was horrible. And his sidekick sounded like an idiot. I don't mind them saying the Hawks didn't play their game, that they weren't playing defense, that their performance was lackluster, etc., but please don't try and pretend that you know what certain players are thinking. Bobby is what??? 80 years old. He has no idea what Josh Selby is thinking when he has a "sour face". Someone who knows Josh personally might have a good idea, but I don't think Bobby knows Josh all that well. I could be wrong though...